Thyrostroma parviniae sp. nov., causing bud necrosis and branch dieback in fig trees from Iran

Abstract

Surveys were conducted in commercial fig orchards in Fars Province, Iran, from 2023 to 2024, focusing on symptomatic trees showing bud necrosis, branch dieback, and wood discoloration. Isolates with characteristic features of the genus Thyrostroma were isolated from diseased samples in Estahban, Ij, Qalat, and Shiraz Counties. Phylogenetic analyses using multigene sequence data from the tef1 , tub2 , ITS, and LSU loci, combined with morphological characteristics, revealed a new species of Thyrostroma , described here as Thyrostroma parviniae sp. nov. All T. parviniae sp. nov. isolates induced necrotic lesions on detached shoots, and principal component analysis showed a high degree of variation in aggressiveness. Pathogenicity was unequivocally established via Koch’s postulates, with artificial inoculations on fig saplings reproducing field symptoms on shoots, stems, and buds. Given its broad tissue tropism and ability to infect unwounded tissues in fig orchards, we hypothesize that T. parviniae sp. nov. may utilize airborne or latent infection mechanisms. This represents a key area for future investigation. The pathogen specifically targets primary buds, which are the most productive, indicating a significant potential for yield loss. Considering that figs are a widely traded commodity and plant material is transported internationally, the pathogen’s emergence poses a serious threat to global fig production. This threat warrants urgent research into molecular diagnostics, host range expansion risks, cultivar susceptibility, and climate-influenced epidemiology to guide effective fig disease management.